The Origin of the Fighter Aircraft

by Guttman, Jon

• ISBN13: 9781594160837
• ISBN10: 159416083X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-07-29
• Publisher: Westholme Pub Llc

Summary

When World War I began in August 1914, the airplane had already proven its worth as an intelligence gathering "eye-in-the-sky". These scouting aircraft soon become indispensible and the race to incorporate air superiority into battlefield strategy began in earnest. By the end of 1915, the first true fighter aircraft began to take to the skies. Between 1916 and early 1918, armies on both sides of the conflict began to rely more and more on air superiority, and by 1918 air battles could be as sprawling as those on the ground. The Origin of the Fighter Aircraft tells the fascinating story of how one of the world's most amazing inventions became an integral component of modern warfare.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. vii
Seizing Control of the Sky	p. 1
Point and Shoot	p. 17
The First Air Battles	p. 42
The Somme	p. 70
Dicta Boelcke	p. 95
Improving the Breed	p. 135
Limitations and Innovations	p. 161
The Right Tools for the Job	p. 200
As Good As It Got	p. 219
Crescendo	p. 244
Afterword	p. 270
Sources	p. 279
Index	p. 283
Acknowledgments	p. 295
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